Meet the Team

​​Maria Coady Bedard, PhDPresidentMaria has been a teacher, teacher-educator, and advocate for English language learners in the United States and abroad for more than 25 years. She holds an M.Ed. from Boston University and a Ph.D. in Bilingual, Multicultural and Social Foundations of Education from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Coady provides educational professional development in the US and internationally, including Ukraine, China, and the United Arab Emirates. In 2007 she was awarded with the University of Florida, College of Education "Engaged Scholarship" award, and in 2009 she received the Bilingual Research Journal award for Outstanding Reviewer. ​

Philip KellermanTreasurer Phil has been an advocate for migrant farmworkers and immigrants since 1989. For 16 years he responded to thousands of calls from migrant farmworkers to the federally-funded National Migrant Education Hotline operated by ESCORT at the State University College in Oneonta, New York. As a result in 1997 he established the non-profit Harvest of Hope Foundation that distributed over $1 million dollars in emergency and educational financial aid to migrant farmworkers and families across the country. Mr. Kellerman now advocates for immigration reform and speaks frequently on the subject, including how to assist undocumented students with attending post-secondary education. He also conducts presentation on grassroots advocacy strategies for at-risk populations including ESL students. In 2013, Mr. Kellerman was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with migrant families by the National Association of State Directors of Migrant Education (NASDME).

Tom Bedard, MSNSecretaryTom is an educator in the field of nursing and nurse-education. He served as a Pararescueman in the United States Air Force for 10 years, and is a US Veteran of the Iraqi war and operation "Just Cause" in Panama. He currently directs the VA simulation and education center in Gainesville.

Rachel Coady, BADesign and DevelopmentRachel graduated from Flagler College with a BA degree in liberal arts (political science and sociology). She currently supports design and development for LEAD's special programs and fundraising events and the #daretodream scholarship.